Automatic gate.



No. 760,950. I PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

' R. BOLINGER.

AUTOMATIC GATE. APPLIOATIO'N FI'LED FEB. 17, 1904.

No. 760,950. PATENTBD MAY 24, 1904.

R. BOLINGBR.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

APPLIoAT-ION FILED rms. 17. 1904.

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No. 760,950. PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904.v R. BOLINGE'R.-

AUTOMATIC GATE. APPLIUATIOI FILED rnml'l. 1904.

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A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 760,950, dated May 24, 1904.

Application led February 17, 1904. Serial No. 194,072. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I,REUBEN BOLINGER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Sheriout of closed position; and the invention has for objects, among others, to provide a gate in which the operating means will act gradually on the gate in both opening and closing the same, thus relieving the gate proper of jars and shocks incident to the sudden or quick movement thereof;` to provide springs for transmitting the movement of the operating devices to the gate, so that the movement of the gata will be gradual and free of shocks and the pull of the operating devices will not be exerted directly on the gate but on the springs and through the latter on the gate; to provide means so that whether theoperating devices are pulled quickly or slowly the lgate will be moved at substantially the same speed, so the gate cannot be broken byany sudden pull on .the operating devices, and to provide intermediate the trip and the gate yielding or spring devices, so the gate will not be operated as quickly as the trip, but wil'l'be opened and closed by the springs and will have ample time for both movements.

The invention has for further objects other improvements; and. it consists in certain novel constructions and combinationsfof parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my gate as in use. Fig. 1a is a detail View of the shaft-crank. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the pivoted portion of the gate, the gate 'being' in closed position. Fig. 3 is a View similar toFig. 2, the gate being opened. Fig. 4 is a detailtop plan View of the bar for engagement by the latches. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the pull-ropes and the rocking lever. Fig. 6 is a detail section on about line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the weightbox of the gate proper. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view showing the axle by which the gateiis pivoted. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation of the axle in its bearings. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view showing the wooden bearings for therollers supporting the axle. Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view showing the trip and the connection of same with the rocking arm lwhich is operated by the trip, and Fig. 12 is a detail section on about line 12 12 of Fig. 1.

As Will be understood from the drawings and from the detailed description which follows, my improved gate possesses advantages in many respects. Thus I provide three ways of opening and closing the gate. In the first place it can be opened and closed with buggies and wagons without stopping by means of the tripping devices. It can be opened from the back of a horse by pulling on ropes provided for such purpose. It can be opened and closed with a pitchfork run into rings on the operating-wires from a load of hay or other high load on a wagon. At the same time the gate possesses great simplicity and can be built by any one who can build an ordinary board fence. The trippingecranks may be omitted, if desired,without departing from any of the broad principles of the invention. With all its advantages the gate will cost no more than an ordinary board gate and can be opened and closed so easily that a child can operate a gate fourteen feet wide. As the gate tilts verti- 'lcally in operation, snow will not interfere with its movements, as it does with a gate that swings sidewise, and as the gate will be made largely of wire snow will not drift against it, as itwill against a gate having broad wooden slats. As in use I build the gate proper partially of barbed wire and with barbs on the main bar, stock will not injure or break the gate. As the gate will be made rigid, it will be much stronger,` more durable, and less likely to get out of repair than a loose folding gate. As the gate is balanced and hung on rollers, it will be easy to open and close, as it will turn on its pivot or axle like a wheel. Again, the gate will be opened and closed by thefsprings, so that when operated by hand it willnot be possible to jam, injure, or otherwise break the gate by any sudden operation.

I also make the gate so it will balance in the wind and arrange the connecting parts overhead out of the mud and snow, so they will not be liable to' get out of repair. 4

In operation the gate can be opened or closed by hand and can be operated either with or without the tripping-cranks, and a novice can open and close the gate without instruction.

It will also be understood that as the Vgat tilts upwardly to a high position it can be seen at a distance whether the gate is opened or closed.

The gate can be built at as low or lower cost than other automatic gates, would be more durable than an ordinary swinging gate, and can be readily adjusted and removed by the means `hereinafter described.

The gate proper, A, is pivoted at B, preferably by means of the axle construction, which will presently be described in detail. For convenience of reference I term the swinging end of the gate A' the front and the opposite end of the gate the rear end, and the pivot B, it will be noticed, is located at the rear end A2 of the gate, and the gate is provided with an extension C in rear of its pivot, which extension carries the weight-box, which counterbalances the body of the gate in the use ofthe invention, as will be presently described. At its front or swinging end A' the gate stands when in closed position between two spaced-apart uprights D, which are set suflciently apart to receive the front end of the gate between them and are preferably beveled on their inner faces at their upper ends at d to guide the swinging end o f the gate between such uprights D in the use of the invention. The gate has its body formed with the main bar a, to which are rigidly secured the slats A' and A2 at the front and rear end of the gate, such slats A' and A2 projecting above and below the main bar a and receiving the wire stringers A3, which latter may preferably be barbed, as shown. I also provide the main bar a with barbs a', the barbs a3 on the stringers A3 and the barbs a' on the bar c tending to prevent cattle and other stock from injuring the gate. The slat A2 may be braced by a strut-bar A4, and by preference the stringers A3 are connected at their ends with the slats A and A2 by short sections of plain wire A, as shown in Fig. l.

In pivoting the gate I prefer to employ an axle E, which is secured to the main bar a and to a diagonal brace a?, which is held rigidly to the main bar a at its front end and aids said main bar in supporting the weightbox, as will be presently described. This axle E extends transversely of the main bar and is provided at its ends with the spindles E', which journal on the roller-bearings E"Z on posts F, said roller-bearings E2 being similar to those commonly employed on grindstones. Screws e turn through bearings e' on the posts F and by engaging with the ends of the spindles E can be operated to properly adjust the pivotal bearing of the gate, as may be desired, The weight-box G forms a part of the rear extension of the gate proper, and this'box is of a special construction, being provided, as best shown in Fig. 7, with an adjustable side or partition G', which can be set toward .or from the opposite side G2 and secured in any desired adjustment by the nails or spikes G3, so the capacity of the box may be varied and the box be adapted to receive more or less weight, as may be desired. For weighting the box stones, earth, or other suitable material may be employed. The box G has a top G", over which extends the sheet-iron cover G5, which is brought down at G6 in front of the .movable partition G' to protect the same. In operation the plate G may be lifted at g to permit access to the nails G, so that the latter and the partition -G may be removed whenever desired. By this means the contents of the box will be protected at all .times for any desired purpose.

The portion of the gate proper in rear of its pivot is provided with boards a4 to balance the wind-surface presented by the bar a on the opposite side of the pivot, so that the gate can be easily operated even when a strong wind is blowing.

In operation the gate will be opened to the -position shown in Fig. 3 and closed to the position shown in Fig. 2, and in order to hold the gate open I provide a latch H, and for holding the gate closed I provide a latch I. These latches, as shown, are arranged on opposite sides of the pivot E of the gate and engage with an abutment J, the same abutment being preferably used for engagement by both latches and such abutment also forming a stop for the gate when the latter is open. Thus in the operation shown in Fig. 2 the latch I engages with the abutment J, while in the position shown in Fig. 3 the latch I-I engages with such abutment. This abutment J is preferably a bar extending horizontally below the gate adjacent tothe posts F, and such bar J is provided with the forwardlyprojecting blocks J', spaced apart and receiving between them the rear slat A2 of the gate and supporting the latter when the gate is closed,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The posts D and the blocks J' prevent stock from injuring the gate by pressing against it when the gate is closed and also enables me to make the gate very light with sufficient strength. The latch I is preferably actuated into engagement with the abutment J by the spring I', while the latch H is preferably actuated by its gravity into engagement with such bar, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3. Now in the operation of the gate I prefer to connect the operating devices with the gate through the medium of the latches, so that when such devices are operated the latch will IOO IIO

be first released and the gate be then opened or closed, according to the movement of the operating devices. Thus when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the operating devices will first release the latch I and will then by pulling on said latch adjust the gate from the closed position (shown in Fig. 2) to that shown in Fig. 3, while if the parts are in the positionv shown in Fig. 3 the operating devices will irst release the latch H and will then draw the gate toward the position shown in ig. 2.- In the construction shown and as preferred the latch H ismade heavier at its rearend H and is connected at such end by a link H2 with a lever H2, pivoted at one end at Hit and connected at its other end with the operating devices. The latchI is pivoted between its ends at I2, has the spring I connected with its lower arm,- and the operating devices connected with the upper arm 13, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3. From the foregoing it will be understood that the gatewill be moved from open to closed position, and vice versa, by the movement of the operating devices, the latter being preferably of the construction which I will now describe.

The operating devices include a cross-shaped lever K, having a shank K, pivotedA at K2 on the inclined surface at the upper end of a suitable support L, and a cross-bar K3, secured at its middle to the upper arm of the shank K and connected at one end with the latch I and at its other end with the latch J, such connection being preferably effected by means of the springs c' and j, as shown inFigs. l, 2, and 3. This spring connection between the operating devices and the gateis important for many reasons, which have been suggested heretofore, as by such connection I relieve the gate of all jars and shocks incident to a sudden manipulation of the operating devices. It lwill also be noticed from Fig. 1 that when the operating .devices have been adjusted to position to close the gate the connections 7,' and will be on one side of the pivot K2. By thus arranging for the springs to pass the center K2 of movement ofthe lever I prevent the lever from coming back to the opposite position until it is'positively pulled to such position by the means presently described or by other suitable means, as may be desired. On the support L, I mount stop-pins L to limit the movements of the cross-shaped lever K in both directions.

y In the operation of the described construction it will be noticed that if the parts are in .the position shown in Fig. l and the lever K be rocked toward `the left to its reverse posi- .i :tion it will draw upon the connection z' and lthrough the latter will release the latch I and then will pull the gate from the closed position (shown in Figs. l and 2).to the open position. (Shown in Figf3.) As the gate adjusts to thc latter position the latch H will engage with the abutment J, the lever K will pass the reenter, and the parts will remain inthe posishank K on opposite sides of the pivot K2.

Thus in the construction shown I employ what for convenience of reference I may term the upper rod M and the lower rod N, secured between their ends at M and N. with the upper and lower arms ofthe shank K, the latter being inclined, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, extending parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the cross shaped lever, as shown. At one end the rods M and N are connected bya rod O, which extends parallel with, the shank'K and with said shank and the rods M and N constitutes a construction similar to a parallel-rule. This construction of rods M, N, and O is important, as it prevents the line connections for operating the lever K from becoming entangled where they connect to the said lever, such line connections being in the construction shown secured to the op- .the wheel of a vehicle may be driven, and

also for operation by a pitchfork or other like implement from a load of hay or other high load driven along thev road. For the latter purpose I provide the line connections with rings or open links P, in which one of the tines of a pitchfork may be engaged.

As shown, the line connections M2 extend slightly above the line connections N2, and such connections M2 and N2 connect with the upper end of a rocking lever Q, which is pivoted'at Q between its ends and operates at its upper end along a guide-bar R, which latter is supported on a postS and is provided atV its inner end or end nearest the gate with a guidepulley R and at its opposite end or end farthest from the gate with a guidepulley R2. A hand-pull T, which may be a rope or other suitable construction, is guidedby the pulley R and connects with the line connection M2, so the latter may be operated by hand by pulling on the pull-cord T. This line connection M2 extends over the pulley R2 and thence back and connects at m2 with the upper end of the rocking lever Q, while the line connection N2 extends directly to and connects at n2 `with the upper end of the rocking lever Q, as shownin Fig. 5. A pull-cord U passes over the pulley R2 and thence forward and connectswith the line connection l 2 in advance of the point W2,

so said line connection N2 may be operated by hand whenever desired. The connection on -the lines M2 and N2 with the upper end of the IOO IIO

ISO

lever Q is for the purpose of permitting the operation of such line connections from the tripping-cranks V presently described. The pull-cords T and U are entirely independent of the lever Q. In other words, said parts are independent.

In securing the line connection M2 and Nzto the rocking lever Q, I prefer to employ the hooks q, bent from the ends of a wire passed Athrough the lever Q, as best shown in Fig. 6,

the hooks being comparatively weak, so that a pull hard enough to break or otherwise injure the gate will straighten the hooks instead of injuring the gate. It will be noticed that the pull-cords connect with the line connections independently of the hooks q, so that in case the latter should become broken or injured at any time the pull-cords can be manipulated for operating the gate by hand as may be desired.

The tripping-cranks V, which are so arranged relatively to the roadway that they may be driven over by the wheels of a vehicle, are provided with crank V2 and angle-arm V', the former being connected with a spring W, by which the tripping-crank will normally be held in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the anglearm V', having side bars Vat V5, is connected by a link V3 with the lower end of the rocking lever Q, so the movement of the tripping crank from one position to the other will by the operation of the crank V2 upon the arm V properly operate the rocking lever to open or close the gate, as may be desired. It will be understood that the crank V2 (see Fig. 1) is secured on the shaft of the crank V and operates on the bars V4 V5 of the angle-arm V. In journaling the shaft of the tripping-crank I prefer to employ the staples X (shown in detail in Fig. 12) and having their arms passed through the base-board X, on which the shaft operates, the lower ends of the arms of the staples X being secured by the pins X2, as will vbe understood from Fig. 12 of the drawings.

The comparatively weak hooks q can be easily replaced, as they will straighten before the other connections with the gate will break, which is an important feature of my invention, as it avoids injury to the gate, from the operation of one trip if the other should be4 blocked by a stone or otherwise held from movement.

The gate can be readily operated, as before described, and can be easily removed by detaching the springs z' and j from their latches and removing the screws e, which latter hold the spindles E in their bearings, as will be understood from Fig. 9, and these screws e permit the convenient adjustment of the gate as may be desired.

In practice the gate is slightly overbalanced, so that in the closed position (shown in Fig. 2) as well as in the open position (shown in Fig. 3) the latches will not bind in connection with the abutment, but can be readily operated along the same, so that the drawing of the latches preliminary to opening or closing the gate will not be rendered diiiicult by the binding of such latches againstthe abutment.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the horizontal blocks F and the stakes F2 for supporting the abutment J project in front of the postsFand form guards to prevent vehicles from being driven against the gate when the latter is open.

The bars R incline downwardly toward their ends next the gate to prevent the wires or connections from becoming entangled.

In practice the center of the weight of the gate proper is preferably above the pivot when the gate is closed to accomplish the overbalancing of the gate in both open and closed position, and thus free the latches from binding contact with the abutment, as before described.

As best shown in Fig. 5, I use sections of chain at the ends of the line connections N2, passing the said chainsections around the guide-pulleys R2, this being important, as such chain-sections will not stretch or contract under the influence of the weather.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improved gate comprising the gate proper pivoted whereby it may tilt, the crossshaped lever in rear of the gate proper having its shank pivoted between its ends, and its cross-bar secured to the upper arm of the shank, spring connections between the opposite ends of said cross-bar and the gate, said connections being secured to the gate one in front and the other in rear of its pivot, the cross-shaped lever being movable in both directions to a position where the springs will pass the pivotal center of' the lever, upper and lower rods connected with the shank of the lever above and below its pivot, a rod connecting said upper and lower rods, and line connections connected with the upper and lowerrods, substantially as set forth.

2. rEhe combinationof the tilting gate, the cross-shaped lever having a pivoted shank, and spring connections between the opposite sides of said cross-shaped lever and the tilting gate, the lever being movable in both directions to a position where the spring connections will be beyond the pivot of the shank substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the tilting gate, the cross-shaped lever having its shank pivoted in rear of the gate, spring connections between the cross-bar of said lever and the gate, and line connections connected with the lever, substantially as set forth.

11. Atilting gate provided with latch devices adjacent to its pivot and rocking in a plane approximately parallel to that of the gate.

' 5. A tilting gate having latches on opposite sides of its pivot, one of the latches being arranged to hold the gate open and the other IOO IIO

latch to hold the gate closed, said latches rocking in a plane approximately parallel to that of the gate. Y

6. The combination of the gate, a crossshaped leverpivoted in rear of the gate, connections between the opposite ends of the cross-bar and the gate, said connections being connected with the gate on opposite sides of its pivot and the lever being movable in both directions to positionswhere the connections will be past the pivotal center of the lever.

7. The combination with the tilting gate of a lever arranged in rear of `thegate and rocking laterally to opposite sides of the plane of the gate, and connections between said lever and the gate, the lever being movable to positions in which the connections will be past the pivot of the lever when the latter is at rest.

8. The combination with the gate of rocking levers on opposite sides of the gate and rocking toward and from the closed position of the gate, and upper'and lower line connections connected with said rocking levers, intermediate devices between the line connections and the gate, and the tripping devices connected with the rocking levers.

9. A tilting gate, rocking latches on opposite sides of the pivot of the gate, devices for engagement by the latches to hold the gate open and closed, a lever-operating mechanism and connections between the latches and the operating mechanism by which to move the latches to release the same.

10. A gate having opposite latches, means for engagement with the latches to alternately hold the gate open and closed, a lever-operating mechanism, and spring connections between the latches and the operating mechanism.

11. A vertically-tilting gate havingopposite latches rocking in a plane approximately parallel to that ofthe gate, devices for engagement with the latches to hold the gate opened and closed, a lever-operating mechanism, and connections between the latches and the operating mechanism to alternately move the latches into and out of operative position.

12. The combination with two posts, of a vertically-tilting gate carried by the posts, an abutment adjacent tothe rear end of the gate, oppositely-movable latches on the gate to alternately engage the abutment to retain the gate open or closed, and means for alternately contacting the latches with the abutment.

13. The combination of posts, a verticallytilting gate carried by the posts, an abutment, a movable latch on the gate for engaging with the abutment when the gate is in a vertical position or open, a latch movable on the gate for engaging with the abutment when the gate is in a horizontal position or closed, and means for releasing the latches from engagement with the abutment.

14. A vertically-tilting gate, a latch upon the other side of the gate-pivot,`a gate-oper.-

ating mechanism, and longitudinal springing connections between the operating mechanism and latches.

15. A tilting gate, comprising a main bar, a

weight-box at the rear end of the bar, and proried by said lever on opposite sides of its pivot,

rods connecting the outer ends of said rods, the operating devices and connections, between the cross-shaped lever and the gate, substantially as set forth.

17. A tilting gate having a weight-box provided with a laterally-movable closure or partition.

18. rlhe combination of a tilting gate, a latch-abutment adjacent to the pivot of the gate, a pivoted latch engaging said abutment, a pivoted lever, carried by the gate, in rear of the pivot of the latter, a connection between the lever and the latch, a gate-operating mechanism, and a connection between the gate-operating mechanism and the lever.

19. A tilting gate, apivoted latch connected therewith for engagement with an abutment whereby the gate may be held against movement, a lever on the gate, a connection between the latch and lever, an operating mechanism, and a spring connecting the same with the lever.

20. A tilting gate, a pivoted lever arranged in rear of connections between said lever and the gate, parallel rods carried by the lever on opposite sides of its pivot,and means connected with the ends of the rods for actuating the gate.

21. A tilting gate, a pivoted cross-shaped lever, having a cross-bar and springs interposed between and connecting the cross-bar of said lever and the gate to alternately exert tension thereon whereby to open and close the gate.

22. A tilting gate, a post in rear of the gate, a pivoted lever on the said post, springs connecting the gate and such lever, rockinglevers on opposite sides of the gate, connections between the rocking levers and said first pivoted lever, the opposite shafts, having cranks and arms and links between each said arm and its respective rocking lever.

23. A pivoted tilting gate, latches carried by the gate for holding the same open and closed, a post in rear of the gate, a pivoted lever onv the post, spring connections between the latches and the lever, and means for operating the pivoted lever.

24. A tilting gate, an operating mechanism,

two separate sets of means for actuating the op- 26. The combination of the tilting gate, lthe lever in rear of the gate and movable in a plane at a right angle to that of the gate, tripping devices on opposite sides of the gate and connections between said tripping devices and the upper and lower arms of the lever, the connections with the opposite tripping devices and the lever being reversed substantially as set forth.

REUBEN BOLINGER. Witnesses:

SoLoN` C. KEMON, PERRY B. TURPIN. 

